A unique collection of the Gareev Botanical Garden was damaged by frost due to failure of the Bishkek Heating and Power Plant. Director of the garden Tashtan Kochkumbayev told 24.kg news agency.

According to him, the tropical plants — ficus, banana, monstera — were killed by frost in the greenhouse. «The air temperature inside the greenhouse reached −10 C degrees. Batteries and pipes have frozen. Yesterday, employees themselves eliminated 2-3 breakdowns inside the building, found a diesel air heater. Staff of the garden is on duty around the clock,» said Tashtan Kochkumbayev.

When asked if the heater saves the plants, he replied: «We can estimate the damage only with the onset of a thaw and an increase in air temperature. According to preliminary data, about 30 percent of plants have frozen.»

These are tropical plants. In our conditions, they grow slowly, you know what care they require. Our scientists, employees have grown them for so many years! It’s a disaster for us.

Tashtan Kochkumbayev

«We have central heating, and we hoped for continuous supply of hot water. Of course, this is our fault, that we did not envisage an alternative heating option. Although the frame of the greenhouse has rotted long ago, there are cracks everywhere, this is all the junk built in 1947. We must seriously, at the government level, think about building a new greenhouse,» summed up Tashtan Kochkumbayev.

Since January 26, the capital has problems with heating due to the accident at the HHP. Officials still do not know when heat supply will be resumed.